An apparatus for controlling of ships with two steerable propellers is already known, in which a lever swingable in two coordinates is used and which effects the pivoting motion of the steerable propellers through transmitter, phase discriminator, amplifier and servomotor. The known apparatus is complicated and a movement of the ship without rotation (called traversing) into any desired direction is not possible (U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,023).
The basic purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-mentioned type, which is simpler and less expensive and with which traversing can be done.
The basic purpose of the invention is attained with an apparatus in which movement of a control element in one of two degrees of freedom effects a rotation about an axis for controling through transmitters a synchronous pivoting of the steerable propellers of each pair and wherein movement of the control element in the second degree of freedom effects movement of a rack element for controlling through the same transmitters an oppositely directed pivoting of propellers relative to one another. This apparatus can be further developed advantageously by providing transmitters which each comprise two members movable relative to one another, such as electrical function generators incorporating a spool or the like and a brush or the like in electrical signal passing relation therewith, and wherein the control elements acts during its rotation through gears or the like onto one member of the transmitter and the control element acts during its movement of such rack element onto the other member of the transmitter. The transmitter and receiver for the remote control can be operated electrically or hydraulically or pneumatically or in a combination. The elements of such remote controls are known.
A different advantageous development of the invention is provided wherein the transmitters each comprise two members which are movable relative to one another, for example electrical function generators including a spool or the like and a brush or the like in electrical signal passing relation therewith, and wherein the control element acts during its rotation and during its movement onto the same member of the transmitters. A particularly simple apparatus results from a further development of the invention which includes a helically toothed gear or gears which during the rotation of the control element act onto the transmitters, and during the movement of the control element are longitudinally moved and thus define the rack element.
The invention assures a jerk-free starting and quick change from forward to rearward travel and vice versa, without causing the watercraft to go off course.